Parliament mourns Amadoi, calls for road safety measures

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah has asked legislators to preach safe road usage among their constituents. Oulanyah said this as parliament on Wednesday observed a minute of silence for Lt (Rtd) Cyrus Amodoi who died in a road accident on Tuesday, March 14, 2017.

Oulanyah also announced that the Parliament would hold a special sitting on Friday to honour the Late Amodoi.

“I urge all MPs to sensitise your people about safe use of roads. We cannot continue losing our people in ghastly road accidents,” said  Oulanyah.

Oulanyah said that road accidents negatively impacted on the economy and that the affected families never recover from the loss.

“Although several Police initiatives to make Ugandan roads safe like ‘Fika Salama’ have helped improve the situation on the roads, we as MPs also need to talk to our constituents, drivers and road users about the safe use of the roads,” he said.

Cyrus Amodoi Imalingat was an Independent Member of Parliament for Toroma County in Katakwi district. He died, when the vehicle in which he was traveling was involved in an accident along Kampala-Jinja Road.

He held a Bachelors of Education degree from Makerere and other qualifications in security. He served on the committees on Human Rights and Defence and Internal Affairs.

The late Amodoi will lay in state for public viewing at Parliament on Friday morning, before the special sitting of the House later the same day on Friday. On Saturday, the Katakwi district council will honor him before burial on Sunday 19th March 2017 in Magoro sub-county, Toroma County in Katakwi districtc

Odonga Otto demands an investigation into MPs death.

Aruu North MP Samuel Odonga Otto wants an investigation instituted into the death of his colleague, Toroma county MP, Amodoi.

Otto,a lawyer from Oyulu Odonga-Otto & Co. Advocates says as his client, Amodoi told him he was living in fear of his life.

“I am not blaming anyone but I am saying there was some degree of paranoia the way the MP was living his life”, he added.

In 2013, Amodoi, and two others were arrested and held at Rackoko Police post in Pader District after they were allegedly found trying to extract suspected mercury from Aweri Bridge in Gulu District.

Otto said that Amodoi revealed to him that many were not comfortable with his decision to leave the presidential guard brigade with such level of military training.

“He told me he was living in fear and that’s why after resigning from the elite Special Forces Command then Presidential Guard Brigade to elective politics, he chose to stand as an independent even when the ruling National Resistance Movement pleaded with him”, said Otto.

Meanwhile, the director of communication and public relations at parliament Chris Obore explained that Amodoi died in a taxi accident because he had given his car to the Katakwi women group to use in preparations for this week’s celebration at the district, of the international women’s day.

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editor@independent.co.ug